At Her Majesty's Request: An African Princess in Victorian England

At Her Majesty's Request: An African Princess in Victorian England

Written by: Walter Dean Myers

Upper Elementary, Junior High Grades

"Myers pieces together bits of history and letters to form a unique and dramatic mosaic: the life of Sarah Forbes Bonetta, a seven-year-old African (Egbado) princess saved by an English naval officer from a rival tribe's ritual sacrifice in 1850. Sarah is brought to England, where Queen Victoria puts the girl under her protection until Sarah's marriage. The queen also acted as godmother to Sarah's first child and met and corresponded with Sarah throughout her life. Through Sarah's story, Myers offers insights into Victorian attitudes and society and examines the flow of people and ideas between England and Africa during the period. The inclusion of passages from Sarah's correspondence helps bring her to life, and Sarah's photo on the jacket brings readers face-to-face with this remarkable young woman. An intriguing biography as well as an unusual source for those interested in British or African history."

Booklist Review

Online Resources:
http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/collateral.jsp?id=1036_type=Book_typeId=3965
http://www.scholastic.ca/titles/athermajestysrequest/

A Long Walk to Water

A Long Walk to Water

Written by: Linda Sue Park

Junior High and High School Grades

"A Long Walk to Water begins as two stories, told in alternating sections, about a girl in Sudan in 2008 and a boy in Sudan in 1985. The girl, Nya, is fetching water from a pond that is two hours’ walk from her home: she makes two trips to the pond every day. The boy, Salva, becomes one of the "lost boys" of Sudan, refugees who cover the African continent on foot as they search for their families and for a safe place to stay. Enduring every hardship from loneliness to attack by armed rebels to contact with killer lions and crocodiles, Salva is a survivor, and his story goes on to intersect with Nya’s in an astonishing and moving way."

**Jennie's note ... to build background knowledge for this book teachers could use Brothers in Hope written by Mary Williams prior to reading. There are additional stories about "The Lost Boys of Sudan" in the online resources section below.


Publishers Description

Online Resources:
http://www.lindasuepark.com/books/longwalk/longwalk.html
http://www.lostboysfilm.com/

Seeds of Change: Wangari's Gift to the World

Seeds of Change: Wangari's Gift to the World

Written by: Jen Cullerton Johnson
Illustrated by: Sonia Lynn Sadler

**2011 Coretta Scott Award Winner**

Elementary Grades

"As a young girl in Kenya, Wangari was taught to respect nature. She grew up loving the land, plants, and animals that surrounded her -from the giant mugumo trees her people, the Kikuyu, revered to the tiny tadpoles that swam in the river. Although most Kenyan girls were not educated, Wangari, curious and hardworking, was allowed to go to school. There, her mind sprouted like a seed. She excelled at science and went on to study in the United States. After returning home, Wangari blazed a trail across Kenya, using her knowledge and compassion to promote the rights of her countrywomen and to help save the land, one tree at a time. Seeds of Change: Planting a Path to Peace brings to life the empowering story of Wangari Maathai, the first African woman, and environmentalist, to win a Nobel Peace Prize. Engaging narrative and vibrant images paint a robust portrait of this inspiring champion of the land and of women's rights."

Product Description

Online Resources:
http://www.jencullertonjohnson.com/Jen_Cullerton_Johnson/Seeds_of_Change.html

The Best Beekeeper in Lalibela: A Tale from Africa

The Best Beekeeper in Lalibela: A Tale from Africa

Written by: Cristina Kessler
Illustrated by: Leonard Jenkins

Elementary Grades

"A traditional Ethiopian tale describing one girl’s attempt to challenge society’s
views of women and their roles, and her quest to be the best beekeeper in her village."

Online Resources:
http://www.cristinakessler.com/Books_8.htm

City Boy

City Boy

Written by: Jan Michael

Upper Elementary and Junior High Grades

"Samuel Sangala has grown up in urban areas in Malawi. His parents wanted nothing to do with those “ignorant” people in the bush, and they never returned to the rural valley where their families live. But after both his father and his beloved mother die of the “The Disease” (AIDS), Sam has to move to his aunt’s small, dark hut in a country village, where there is no electricity and no computer, and he is expected to share his stuff with his cousins. Readers will recognize from the start that Sam will eventually find a way to feel at home in his new community, but that predictability doesn’t detract from the story, which remains true to his viewpoint and shows, without condescension or sentimentality, the wrenching upheaval, the ravages of AIDS, and Samuel’s grief. Even as he longs for the technology he learned to rely on, he also recognizes that his parents lost a lot when they broke from their roots. Above all, he learns that the definition of “family” encompasses more than just relatives."

Booklist Review

Online Resources:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/picture_gallery/05/africa_malawi_village/html/1.stm

One Hen - How One Small Loan Made a Big Difference

One Hen - How One Small Loan Made a Big Difference

Written by: Katie Smith Milway

Elementary Grades

"Families in a Ghanan village pool their small savings into a community bank that makes loans available to members. When Kojo’s mother borrows money, he asks her for a few coins to buy a hen. The hen produces eggs for the family as well as a few for him to sell at the market, and Kojo uses that money to grow his business into a thriving enterprise. As a successful adult entrepreneur, Kojo now loans money to other aspiring businesspeople. Kojo’s inspiring, upbeat microfinance story makes the economic concept easy to grasp and admire. Sunny acrylic illustrations incorporate African animals and scenery into impressionistic full-page art that reflects the optimistic tone of the story. Back matter includes a photograph and short biography of a “real Kojo,” information on microcredit organizations, and a glossary."

Booklist Review

Online Resources:
http://onehen.opportunity.org/

Chidi Only Likes Blue: An African Books of Colors

Chidi Only Likes Blue: An African Book of Colors

Written by: Ifeoma Onyefulu

Elementary Grades

"This companion to the author's A Is for Africa (Cobblehill, 1993) introduces everyday objects used by a family living in a Nigerian village. Chidi, a young boy whose favorite color is blue, likes it, "Because the sky is blue, and my best shirt is blue." His older sister has other favorite colors: red for the caps of the chiefs, yellow for the gari made from cassava roots, green for the leaves from the akwukwo uma plant used to wrap foods, brown for the board used in the game okwe. The color photography is sharp and lush with close-ups that help to identify the objects. The people all smile happily for the camera. Youngsters studying aspects of life in Africa or how children live in different parts of the world will find this concept book useful."

School Library Journal Review

Online Resources:
http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/Places/Find/Nigeria

The Sound of Kwanzaa

The Sound of Kwanzaa

Written By: Dimitra Tokunbo
Illustrated By: Lisa Cohen

Elementary Grades

"Here is a perfect book for reading aloud during the upcoming holiday season. THE SOUND OF KWANZAA is a sort of call back and answer pattern lets readers know about the facts behind the holiday. Why the candles of different colors? What does Kwanzaa signify? Bold illustrations and text combine to convey the excitement and joy of the celebration."

Reviewed by: Teri Lesesne
http://professornana.livejournal.com/

Online Resources:
http://aakulturezone.com/kidz/abc/kwanzaa.html

The Complete Kwanzaa: Celebrating Our Cultural Harvest

The Complete Kwanzaa: Celebrating Our Cultural Harvest

Written by: Dorothy Winbu Riley

Upper Elementary, Junior High, and High School Grades

"Celebrated between December 26 and January 1, Kwanzaa gives African Americans an opportunity to reunite with family and friends, and pay tribute to their rich cultural heritage. More than just a holiday guide, this book gives an inspirational explanation of the seven principles of Kwanzaa."

Publishers Synopsis

Online Resources:
http://www.aakulturezone.com/kidz/abc/kwanzaa.html

Planting the Trees of Kenya: The Story of Wangari Maathai

Planting the Trees of Kenya: The Story of Wangari Maathai

Written and Illustrated by: Claire A. Nivola

Elementary Grades

"Kenyan activist Wangari Maathai was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004 for her environmental and human rights achievements. Founder of the Green Belt Movement, she has encouraged people to repair their economy, land, and health with simple, environmentally friendly acts, such as planting more trees. This beautiful picture-book biography echoes the potent simplicity of Maathai’s message with direct, spare prose and bright, delicate watercolors. An author’s note offers more about Maathai’s inspiring story."

Booklist Review

Web Resources:
http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/takingroot/classroom.html

Anansi the Spider

Anansi the Spider

Written and Illustrated by: Gerald McDermott

Elementary Grades

"Anansi the Spider is a wise, funny, mischievous, and loveable folk hero who pops up in traditional Ashanti tales from Ghana, in West Africa. This story, retold and illustrated by Gerald McDermott, relates the tale of father Anansi and his six spider sons. When Anansi sets out on a dangerous journey and gets into all sorts of trouble, each son does one thing to help, and all their efforts together save their father. He finds a mysterious, beautiful globe of light in the forest, and decides to make it a gift of thanks. But which son should receive the prize? Even with the help of Nyame, the God of All Things, he can't decide, so Nyame takes the great globe up into the sky, and that's where it has stayed ever since--the moon, for all to see. This profound story reaches children of many ages; younger ones see it as an exciting rescue story, but older children are intrigued by the larger themes of cooperation and "the whole being more than its parts."

Amazon.com Review

Monkey Sunday: A Story From a Congolese Village

Monkey Sunday: A Story From a Congolese Village

Written and Illustrated by: Sanna Stanley

Elementary Grades

"A young Congolese girl promises her father to sit still while he preaches during their village Matondo, a celebration of thanksgiving. This is hard to do, because all the town's animals wander in and out of the open thatch shelter built especially for the service, and Luzolo loves playing with them. However, she behaves herself until a wild monkey disrupts things completely and her parents themselves beg her to stop sitting still and help catch him. The story, based on an incident in the author's life, gives a lovely depiction of this traditional festival. Everyone is having fun, interacting with one another, arms outstretched and feet dancing."

Booklist Review

Circle Unbroken

Circle Unbroken

Written by: Margot Theis Raven
Illustrated by: E.B. Lewis

Elementary Grades

"A book about the origins of the intricate technique and art of basket making as preserved by the Africans who were brought to America as slaves and their descendants. A grandmother guides her granddaughter's hands as she teaches her the art of basket sewing. When the child asks her how she came to make baskets, the woman's answer harkens back to a time when one of their ancestors, the child's "old-timey grandfather," is being initiated into manhood in a village in Africa. Part of the rite involves being able to make a grass basket woven or coiled so tightly that it can hold water. Soon after this event, the young man is captured, transported to America, and sold as a slave at an auction in Charleston, SC. During the day he works the fields, but by night he makes baskets, and this skill is passed down from one generation to the next.

Raven's text masterfully frames several hundred years of African-American history within the picture-book format. Lewis's double-page, watercolor images are poignant and perfectly matched to the text and mood. A section at the end of the book offers information about the "coil" or "Gullah" baskets, as they are known today, as well as the regions of Africa where this art form originated."

School Library Journal Review

Web Resources:
http://suzyred.com/2005circle.html

Africa is Not a Country

Africa is Not a Country

Written by: Margie Burns Knight
Illustrated by: Anne Sibley O'Brien

Elementary Grades

"The authors narrate the experiences of children at play, at school, and at home, and use realistic illustrations to explore the cultural, environmental, ethnic, and social diversity of the 53 countries that make up the African continent. They explain that in Rwanda, refugee children (many of whom have been orphaned) are making pictures of war, while in Kenya, two children race to school, dreaming of one day becoming professional runners. From vast deserts with camels in the North to lush agricultural lands in Central and Southern Africa, the widely varied terrains are described as well. At the back a small note on each country fills in facts about geography, currency, population, etc."

Booklist Review